Especially in hybrid circuitry, it is conventional practice to apply articles such as electrical circuit components (resistors, capacitors, and the like) to the surface of a substrate, either manually or by complicated positioning devices which pick up one article after another, and by means of coordinate systems apply the article to a selected location on the substrate. This technique is quite useful for many applications, but studies by the inventor have established to his satisfaction that for many types of products, higher rates of production at lesser cost are available by the use of positioning mechanisms operated in a stepper mode from station to station. It is an object of this invention to provide an elegantly simple device for this purpose which is readily adjustable to provide wide assortments of articles at various positions on substrates, both as to coordinate position, and if desired also as to angular position.